Irrigation system

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an irrigation system particularly for plant cultures comprising an irrigation arm which can be pivoted in a horizontal angle region around an essentially vertical axis, a water jet exiting from the front thereof. According to the invention, an electronic control device ( 10 ) controls the horizontal angle region (α) which is covered by the irrigation arm ( 6 ), the control device ( 10 ) contains an electronic memory ( 23 ), wherein the values of two or more horizontal angle regions can be digitally stored, and a programmable run-off control element ( 22 ) wherein a sequence of stored horizontal angle regions can be established. The stored horizontal angle regions can be established by means of a GPS receiver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a sprinkler system with a sprinkler arm,swivellable in a horizontal angle region about an essentially verticalaxis, from which a water jet emerges at the front.

Such sprinkler system are in particular for use in plant cultures.

Such sprinkler systems are already known and are already used inpractice, wherein a spooler often retracts a moveable sprinkler trolleyvia a water hose, on which for its part the sprinkler arm is swivellablyhoused. In addition, the international patent application WO00/13486shows such a sprinkler system. With such systems, the sprinkler trolleywith the hose is extended, for example with the help of a tractor, thewater hose being wound by the spooler. In actual operation, the spoolerthen retracts the sprinkler trolley on the hose to itself, a sprinklerarm, turning left and right, irrigating a prespecified sector by meansof a water jet emerging from the sprinkler arm. A jet interrupter can beprovided at the free end of the sprinkler arm, which alternately engageswith the water jet and fans it out resulting in a “water curtain”irrigating essentially the whole sector. The jet interrupter can alsoadopt the function of a jet diversion, the torque produced thereby beingable to be used to swivel the sprinkler arm by a horizontal angle abouta vertical axis. There is therefore no need for a separate drive forthis horizontal movement over the irrigation sector. Rather the waterenergy can be used for this.

Older variants of such irrigation systems are very inflexible inoperation. At most, they allow only a basic setting, i.e. that thesprinkler arm sweeps a single predefined sector. Although an adjustmentis possible, it is relatively time-consuming and was often carried outby users with the sprinkler switched on, which represents a great dangerin view of the high-pressure water jet. Such an adjustment is forexample necessary if a road which must not be sprinkled passes the endof the site to be sprinkled. Then the sprinkling sector must be alignedfor example semicircular to the spooler. After a specific retractiondistance, an adjustment is then necessary by means of which thesprinkling sector is changed such that it faces away from the spooler.

The above-mentioned WO00/13486 already shows a sprinkler system in whichthe sector swept by the sprinkler arm can be changed during retractionby means of the spooler, i.e. during irrigation, without manualintervention. However, the construction there is very expensive andstill inflexible. Turning points must be defined with mechanical pinswhich can be secured to a plate, each of which points defines the end ofa sector. Each of these sectors defined by mechanical end points canthen be selected via a control system.

In addition, there is also the option of swivelling the sprinkler armabout a fixed axis or of housing it at the end of a large rotatableirrigation arm.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to create an improved sprinkler system ofthe type mentioned at the outset which can be easily adapted to theirrigation requirements of the surface at hand. In addition, it shouldoffer the possibility of automatically and continually taking intoaccount external parameters such as wind direction, wind speed and/orthe water pressure during the irrigation.

According to the invention, this is achieved by an electronic controlapparatus via which the horizontal angle region swept by the sprinklerarm can be adjusted. Advantageously the control apparatus has anelectronic memory in which values for two or more horizontal angleregions can be digitally stored and a programmable sequencer via which asequence of stored horizontal angle regions can be specified.

The electronically controlled sprinkler system according to theinvention allows numerous different irrigation sectors (horizontal angleregions swept by the water jet of the sprinkler arm) to be easily storedin advance in the electronic memory. Such a horizontal angle region canbe defined for example by storing the respective turning points at theedge of such a horizontal angle region, at which therefore the sprinklerarm turns its swivel direction about a vertical axis. The sprinkler armthus swivels back and forth in operation between the two turning pointscurrently selected by a programmable sequencer in the current horizontalangle region, and irrigates the site. However it is also possible tostore the horizontal angle regions “indirectly”, for example in the formof parameters from which the control of the turning points is firstcalculated. Finally it is preferably provided that the control systemhas a GPS receiver with a memory for storing several ground points. Withthis, the horizontal angle regions can be calculated and specified viastored ground points.

Via the mentioned programmable sequencer, the horizontal angle regioncan be easily changed during operation. This can be carried out under“normal conditions”, for example depending on the retraction distance ofthe water hose on the spooler. For this purpose, the rotational state ofthe spooler can be recorded. Time-dependent sequencers are however alsoperfectly conceivable and possible.

In addition, the electronic sprinkler system according to the inventionallows circumstances deviating from the “normal conditions” toautomatically be taken into account. This includes in particular theinfluence of the wind which deflects the water jet emerging from thewater arm and thus, without correction, sprinkles a region other thanthat corresponding to the desired specified sector (horizontal angleregion).

According to a preferred version of the invention, an apparatus forrecording the wind strength and/or the wind direction is thereforepresent, which delivers electric signals to the electronic controlapparatus which then changes the current horizontal angle region inorder to compensate for the influence of the wind. Advantageously thevertical angle, i.e. the height setting of the sprinkler arm, can alsobe shifted about a horizontal axis.

A regulation of the water pressure is also possible in order tocompensate for pressure variations in the mains system in order toaccurately maintain the desired jet range and/or optionally tocompensate for wind influences by changing the drop size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages and details of the invention will be explained inmore detail using the following description of the figures.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a sprinkler system in a strongly schematicside view,

FIG. 2 shows a corresponding top view,

FIG. 3 shows in a schematic top view such a sprinkler system inoperation, different horizontal angle regions (sectors) being irrigateddepending on the retraction distance of the water hose to the spooler,

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a part of a sprinkler trolley developedaccording to the invention,

FIG. 5 shows a detail of such a sprinkler trolley, namely in the regionof the axle bearing of the sprinkler arm not represented in more detail,

FIG. 6 shows the automatic compensation of the irrigation sector in thecase of wind influence,

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a variant which is variable in thevertical angle or the height setting of the sprinkler arm,

FIG. 8 Shows the electronic control apparatus of an embodiment of asprinkler system according to the invention in a block diagram,

FIGS. 9 and 10 show further embodiments of such an electronic controlapparatus,

FIG. 11 shows an example with a large rotatable irrigation arm in sideview,

FIG. 12 shows a schematic top view of an example according to FIG. 11,

FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of an electronic control apparatus which issupplemented by a GPS receiver with a memory for storing several groundpoints,

FIG. 14 shows an example of a field to be sprinkled with a surface A1 tobe sprinkled and a surface A2 to be omitted, which are defined by groundpoints recorded by means of a GPS system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The sprinkler system for plant cultures represented in FIG. 1 has awater hose 2 which can be wound onto a spooler 1. There is arranged atthe end of the water hose 2 a moveable sprinkler trolley 3 which can beretracted by winding the water hose 2 in the direction of the arrow 4.The sprinkler trolley 3 has a sprinkler arm 6 which is swivellable in ahorizontal angle region about a vertical axis 5. The sprinkler arm 6 hasa jet interrupter and diverter at the front, which on the one handresults in a fanned-out water jet and on the other hand can be used tomove the sprinkler arm (to swivel over the sector to be sprinkled). FIG.2 shows a top view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 likewise shows a top view, wherein four of the randomly differentpositions (retraction distances of the water hose 2) are represented byway of example. It can be seen that the sprinkler arm, in each of thesedifferent retraction positions of the water hose, sweeps differenthorizontal angle regions (sprinkling sectors) in width and alignment.The horizontal angle is designated a in each case. In the process, aroad passing the end of the site for example can be omitted fromirrigation. By means of a small horizontal angle region, for example abuilding which is present can be excluded from irrigation. Overall, theirrigation can thus be optimized and the water consumption reduced.

FIG. 4 then shows an embodiment of a sprinkler trolley according to theinvention in greater detail. The sprinkler trolley represented ismoveable, by pulling the water hose 2 in direction 4, on a stand 8 onwheels 9, represented schematically. The spooler which winds the hose 2and thus draws the whole sprinkler trolley 3 is not represented in FIG.4. The sprinkler trolley 3 has a sprinkler arm 6 which can be swivelledby an angle a about a vertical axis 5, in order to carry out asprinkling over a horizontal angle region α. This horizontal turningmovement is driven by diverting the water jet in the combined jetinterrupter and diverter 7. This is adjustable via the electroniccontrol apparatus 10 via a control element 11, with the result that theturning direction is reversible. The control element 11 moves the jetinterrupter and diverter 7 such that the diversion element 7 a dippinginto the jet runs displaced slightly left or right of the middle of thejet as desired. Thus a torque is exerted on the sprinkler arm 3 and thisswivels in the desired direction. The water force is therefore used tosweep the horizontal angle region. Naturally there is alternatively alsothe possibility of actively using an electric servo motor or steppedmotor in order to achieve the swivel about the vertical axis (angle α).The horizontal movement exploiting the water jet is however alreadystate of the art, with the result that with such a use, no conversion isrequired. This variant, which is shown in FIG. 4, can also be realizedwith robust components.

The electronic control apparatus described in more detail hereafter canalso adjust the height position, i.e. the angle, about a horizontal axis13 (angle β) of the sprinkler arm 6, using a servomotor 12. Finally theelectronic control apparatus can control a pressure regulation valve 15(represented schematically in support 16) via a control line 14, inorder to influence the jet range with otherwise identical parameters.

With the embodiment represented in FIG. 4, the electronic controlapparatus 10 is in radio contact with a remote station 18 which isoptionally set up spatially separated, via antennae 17. This, togetherwith the wind wheel 19 and the wind-direction measuring device 20,represents a device for recording the wind direction and/or the windstrength. In addition, this remote station, in combination with thepressure sensor 21, represents a device for recording the waterpressure.

FIG. 8 now shows in a schematic block diagram a first embodiment of anelectronic control apparatus of a sprinkler system according to theinvention. The control apparatus 10 has a programmable sequencer 22 viawhich a sequence of stored horizontal angle regions can be specified.These horizontal angle regions are defined for example by their endpoints α_(MAX) and α_(MIN) and stored in the electronic memory 23. Theelectronic sequencer is programmable for example via an externalprogramming device 24 (for example a personal computer) or a line 25 andan interface 26, wherein the horizontal angle regions can also be storedin the memory 23 via this device 24.

The sequencer 22 of the electronic control apparatus 10 preferablycontrols the horizontal angle by controlling the jet diverter 7 via theline 27 and the control element 11, and favourably depending on theposition of the sprinkler trolley 3, recorded via the device 28,relative to the spooler 1, i.e. depending on the retraction distance ofthe hose 2. The whole device is very flexible. Numerous horizontal angleregions can be stored in the control apparatus and then selected by thesequencer 2 in the desired manner and sequence.

As an alternative to dependency on the retraction distance, thesequencing can naturally also take place in purely time-dependentmanner, i.e. depending on a time signal from a (in practice, preferablyintegrated) clock 29. The programming, including the storage of theturning points α_(MAX) and α_(MIN) defining the horizontal angle regionsin the memory 3 can naturally also be carried out in a manner other thanvia a data line 15 and an external programming device 24, for example bymeans of an integrated keyboard 30 with display 31, as shown in FIG. 9.It is however also possible for example to provide a transportablechipcard which is programmed and loaded externally and then insertedinto the sprinkler trolley or its electronic control apparatus.

In FIG. 8, another device 32 is provided for recording the actual valueof the current horizontal angle (α_(IST)) of the sprinkler arm 6, thisdevice 32 delivering an electric signal via a line 33 to the electroniccontrol apparatus 10, more precisely to the sequencer 22. This thendisplaces the horizontal angle, via the control element 11 using the jetdiverter 7, until the actual current turning point α_(MAX) or α_(MIN) isreached. It can thereby be ensured that the sprinkler arm 6 turns backand forth precisely between the two currently active horizontal angleturning points α_(MAX) and α_(MIN). The named angles are measuredrelative to the sprinkler trolley 3.

It goes without saying that the memory 23 and the electronic sequencer22 can be combined in one common microprocessor unit.

FIG. 5 shows the bearing region of the sprinkler arm 6 which, for thesake of clarity is not represented itself. It is secured to the flange34. There is connected in rotation-resistant manner to the undercarriageof the sprinkler trolley a disk 35 which has recesses 36 coded in Graycode, which can be read in the control box 37 by a series of radiallyarranged Hall sensors. The control box 37 or the Hall sensors, notrepresented in more detail, are connected in rotation-resistant mannerto the flange 34 for the sprinkler arm. Thus via this device, the actualvalue of the horizontal angle of the sprinkler arm can be recorded andpassed onto the electronic control apparatus 10. This version isparticularly robust and suitable for the rough conditions when operatingsuch a sprinkler. Naturally however, other devices for recording theactual value of the current horizontal angle are also possible, forexample angle encoders driven via toothed belts or similar.

The embodiment of an electronic control apparatus 10 represented in FIG.9 corresponds in numerous components to the embodiment of FIG. 8, whichhave the same reference numbers and are therefore not described again.The difference, as already mentioned, is the integrated operating unitwith a keyboard 30 and a display 31 for programming the sequencer 22 orstoring the desired turning points for the horizontal angle region inthe memory 23. Moreover, the apparatus according to FIG. 9 has a device38 for recording the wind strength or wind direction. This devicedelivers electric control signals via the line 39 to a correction unit40 which can naturally also be integrated in the electronic sequencer.Thus the original (without wind) horizontal angle region (dotted sectorin FIG. 6 with reference number 41) to be sprinkled can be displaced,according to wind direction and strength, as is represented in FIG. 6with reference number 42. Together with the wind influence, the resultis then essentially in turn the irrigation of the desired dotted surface41.

In the case of the embodiment represented in FIG. 10, for the sake ofclarity the programming and/or operating device is not represented. Itcan be developed for example as mentioned above. In addition, in thisembodiment, the memory for the turning points of the horizontal angleregions is integrated in the sequencer 22. Otherwise this embodiment hasin turn some components which correspond to the previous examples, andtherefore need not be explained again here. With this embodiment, inaddition to a change of the horizontal angle region (α), the heightangle α can also be varied, depending on the wind influence. In order tobe able to carry this out in the sense of a precise regulation, a device41 for recording the actual value of the current height angle β_(IST) isprovided. Depending on the wind influence, the height angle can then bevaried via a correction device 42 which can naturally also be integratedin the electronic sequencer 22. For example, it is possible to reducethe height angle somewhat, as is represented in FIG. 7 (exaggerated forbetter representation). A flatter jet curve and a lower capacity to beinfluenced by—in particular lateral—wind influences can thereby beachieved.

In addition it is possible to regulate the water pressure, to which enda device 21 for recording the actual value of the water pressure isprovided. The water pressure can be regulated to adjust the jet rangeand to compensate for pressure deviations, the electronic controlapparatus 10 delivering a signal via the line 14 to a pressureregulation valve 15 (cf. also FIG. 4). In addition, provision can alsobe made to correct the water pressure depending on the wind influence,for example in the unit 43 which can also be integrated in theelectronic sequencer 22.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment in which the sprinkler arm 6 is housed atthe free end of a large rotatably housed irrigation arm 42. This largeirrigation arm is moveable about an axis 43 (horizontal angle α₁) by adrive not represented in more detail. Such irrigation systems are usedto irrigate large plant cultures. They move on wheels 44 and distributewater via nozzles 45.

The sprinkler arm 6 is housed swivellably about a vertical axis 5 (angleα) relative to the large irrigation arm 42.

This results in the situation represented in FIG. 12, for example toirrigate a square site 46. The large irrigation arm 42 can irrigateessentially the circular area 47 by rotation about the angle α₁. Thesurfaces between the corners of the square and the circle would normallyremain unirrigated. The rotatable sprinkler arm 6 secured at the end ofthe large irrigation arm 42 serves to do this, which can also irrigatethe surface 48. It can even be achieved by reducing the water pressureand/or the pressure height that no surface 49 outside the square 46 isirrigated, if such an irrigation would cause problems. In general,however, the issue here is not completely accurate limits, but rather tooptimally sprinkle the surface areas between the circle and the squarein the corners by the sprinkler arm 6 whilst saving as much water aspossible.

In the embodiment represented in FIG. 13, the control apparatus 10 issupplemented by a GPS receiver 50. This GPS receiver 50 has a memory forstoring several ground points, which will be explained in more detailhereafter. Such a GPS receiver has an antenna 51, a display 52 and akeyboard 53. As a GPS system (global positioning system) it is capableof accurately establishing its position from satellite data.

In the embodiment represented, the GPS receiver 50 is detachablydeveloped from a console 54 to which it is connected via plug contacts.This enables a mode of operation which will be described in more detailhereafter. It is essentially constituted in that a field to be sprinkledis surveyed to its limits with the detached GPS receiver and the cornerpoints defining the field are entered. These are then stored in thememory of the GPS receiver itself. The ground data can either be loadedvia the line 55 into a memory of the control apparatus 10 or remain inthe memory of the GPS receiver 50, the sequencer 22 then accessing thesedata. During the actual sprinkling process, the GPS receiver regularlypasses position data on to the control apparatus 10 via the line 56. Aseparate device 28, as was described with the earlier embodiments, cantherefore be dispensed with.

In detail, the system functions as follows:

A detachable GPS receiver module 50 which is connected to the systemcontrol 10 is mounted on the sprinkler. A memory for storing GPS pointsis integrated into this recipient module. A commercial GPS hand-helddevice with interface is preferably used. It is however possible toinstall a GPS module into its own housing.

Upon first use of the device on a specific field or when using it on anew field, the user detaches the GPS module from the sprinkler andsurveys the limits of the field. The GPS data from each corner point ofthe field are stored. To describe a field A1, any number of cornerpoints can be stored, at least however three points. In FIG. 14, theseare P1–P6. If there are surfaces or buildings or obstacles inside thefield which are not to be sprinkled, the corner points of the surface A2to be excluded, P7–P10 in FIG. 14, are likewise correspondingly stored.

The user secures the module 50 back in its place on the sprinklercontrol system. The sprinkler system is put into operation. The systemknows through the GPS where the sprinkler is located. An algorithm whichis integrated in the system control of the sprinkler calculates, usingthe current GPS position of the sprinkler and the connection lines ofthe previously stored corner points, the current sector angle(horizontal angle α) required to keep within and optimally sprinkle thesurface. The sector angle is transmitted to the control system of thesprinkler machinery, which for its part calculates and sets theretraction speed of the sprinkler, corresponding to the respectivesector angle, to achieve a constant precipitation quantity over thewhole retraction distance of the sprinkler.

If the sprinkler encounters a surface which is to be excluded fromsprinkling, the sector angle is adjusted such that the surface iscircumscribed.

In the calculation of the retraction speed it is also taken into accountwhether the sprinkler will twice sprinkle a surface swept by the waterjet. This is the case if the sprinkler changes its main orientationdirection by 180°, as at the beginning or at the end or at stages of thefield.

The jet range can also be adjusted depending on the GPS points, if thisis necessary.

In FIG. 14, some sector angles required for the complete sprinkling ofthe surface A1 and circumscription of the surface A2 are representedschematically.

The set-up positions of the sprinkler machine are selected to explainthe function principle. In practice, the intervals between two positionsof the sprinkler machine are selected such that there is an overlap ofthe surface to be sprinkled.

With center pivot systems (as shown for example in FIG. 12), the cornerpoints of the surface to be sprinkled can also be stored, and thesprinkler will then only sprinkle in this area. In order to keep thewater distribution constant here also, it is useful to control theoperating time of the sprinkler at the beginning and at the end of asector to be sprinkled.

The advantage of this GPS-controlled system is that the sprinkler of thesprinkler machine does not require any position data about its currentposition in the field and can thus calculate the horizontal sector anglerequired to keep within the field limits autonomously and independently.No data transfer is required, this means that the thus-equippedsprinkler can be backfitted to any sprinkler machine, even very oldmachines.

A further great advantage is that this system makes it possible to fullysprinkle a field into the corners without the field limits beingexceeded, or be able to accurately bypass surfaces located in the fieldwhich are not to be sprinkled.

An additional improvement to the above independent system can beachieved if the sprinkler transmits its current horizontal sector angleto the control system of the sprinkler machine (radio or cable). Thesprinkler machine can then regulate for its part the retraction speed ofthe sprinkler such that the water quantity released by the sprinkler pertime unit remains constant on the surface delimited by the respectivehorizontal sector angle. Thus a uniform water distribution is guaranteedover the whole sprinkled surface.

Data from any number of fields can be stored, the sprinkler recognizesautomatically in which field and at which set-up position of thesprinkler machine in the field it is located and regulates thehorizontal sector angle correspondingly.

The GPS module can be detached from the sprinkler and used to record thecorner points of the field, as was already described.

As the above examples show, the sprinkler system according to theinvention can be realized in numerous ways. Naturally, further variantsare also conceivable and possible. For example, instead of plantcultures, coal piles or ore piles can also be sprinkled. The inventioncan also be used in waste water irrigation. In particular rotatable butotherwise not displaceably or moveably housed fixed sprinklers can beused.

1. A Sprinkler system with a sprinkler arm swivellable in a horizontalangle region about an essentially vertical axis, from which a water jetemerges at the front, with an electronic control apparatus via which thehorizontal angle region swept by the sprinkler arm can be adjusted,wherein said sprinkler arm is housed freely rotatable and has a turnablyhoused, controllable water-jet diverter via which a torque can beexerted on the sprinkler arm, said water-jet diverter being controlledby the electronic control apparatus via a control element.
 2. Thesprinkler system of claim 1, wherein said control apparatus has anelectronic memory in which values for at least two horizontal angleregions can be digitally stored and a programmable sequencer via which asequence of stored horizontal angle regions can be specified.
 3. Thesprinkler system of claim 1, wherein said sprinkler arm is swivellableabout its essentially vertical axis by an electric servomotor, saidservomotor being controlled by said electronic control apparatus.
 4. Thesprinkler system of claim 1, wherein said sprinkler arm is swivellableabout its essentially vertical axis by an electric stepping motor, saidstepping motor being controlled by said electronic control apparatus. 5.The sprinkler system of claim 1, wherein a device for recording theactual value of the current horizontal angle of the sprinkler arm isprovided, said device delivering an electric signal to the electroniccontrol apparatus.
 6. The sprinkler system of claim 5, wherein saiddevice for recording the actual value of the current horizontal anglehas a disk made of magnetizable material with recesses, several Hallsensors aligned in radial direction of the disk delivering signals tosaid electronic control apparatus corresponding to the horizontal angleof the sprinkler arm depending on their relative position to the disk.7. The sprinkler system of claim 6, wherein the recesses in the disk arecoded in Gray code.
 8. The sprinkler system of claim 5, wherein saiddevice for recording the actual value of the current horizontal anglehas an angle encoder.
 9. The sprinkler system of claim 8, wherein saidangle encoder is driven by a toothed belt.